When Am I Coming Home?

For the last 18 months, Albania has been my home. Peaceful hills, my backyard. Rural villages, my neighbors.

Peace Corps service is a 27 month total commitment. 3 months of service training and 2 years of service as a volunteer. I began my service in March 2014 (approx. 18 months ago), thus I have roughly 9 months left here in Albania. At the completion of service (COS) you go back to your home of record and officially become an RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer). Volunteers leave on different dates to return back to their homes of record (based on Volunteer preference, current projects, and PC staff recommendations). RPCVs receive a modest stipend to help readjust back to life in the US.

Late COS/Extension
If I have pending projects and really want to stay and continue, I can extend my COS (Close of Service) date up to 12 additional months with approval. I can also extend even longer with a formal request for service extension for 25 months or more past original COS date! Typically this is for volunteers who have large-scale projects that require them to stay.

Early COS
Alternatively, Volunteers can end their service early at least 21 months after they take the Oath. (see US PC Service Manual Section 2.0) For example, I took my oath on May 13, 2014, thus my earliest COS date would be February 13, 2016. This is usually contingent upon completion of all projects and approval of host agency and PC staff.

As it stands, I have yet to decide exactly what to do after my service. I have plans A, B, C, D & E. It is tempting, yet seems a bit silly to plan something 9-ish months away. I do know this much: One of my younger brothers is getting married around June, 2016, so I am definitely planning to be back for that! I also hope to be here for the next fabulous Kampi Pa Emer which will be mid-June. That means an estimated date in mid/late June for COS. I would like to travel a bit in the area before I head back to the US (it is Europe after all), not sure how that would work but there's plenty of time to plan. Speaking of planning... Here are my plans (plural)

Plan A - Return to the US and go to Nursing School for my NP license.
Plan B - Extend service in Albania to work on a specific initiative with a local NGO
Plan C - Find a job with Peace Corps (possibly in Washington, DC)
Plan D - Find a job with a foreign service agency - USAID, United Nations, etc.
Plan E - Re-up for Peace Corps service in another country - Kosovo? (One of the few places where I might be able to use my Shqip (Albanian Language) skills.

Plan F - Who knows??? Any suggestions please them write below! :-P